SOLE-USE PRIVATE VILLA WITH A DEDICATED RANGER, TRACKER, BUTLER AND CHEF.
PRIVATE DAY AND NIGHT SAFARIS WITH YOUR OWN PRIVATE GUIDE AND TRACKER.
EXPLORE THE AFRICAN BUSH AND IT’S QUAINT FAUNA AND FLORA ON FOOT WITH AN EXPERIENCED GUIDE.
ASSIST OUR CONSERVATION TEAM WITH A SCHEDULED RHINO, ELEPHANT OR PANGOLIN RESEARCH EXPERIENCE.
VISIT NEARBY ZULU COMMUNITIES AND GAIN INSIGHT INTO THEIR DAILY LIVES.
Tucked into the edge of a dappled forest in the north of Phinda Private Game Reserve, lies Phinda Homestead, a gracious sole-use safari villa, complete with a dedicated ranger, tracker, butler and chef.
Phinda Private Game Reserve encompasses an impressive 28,555 hectares (70,560 acres) of protected wildlife land in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Showcasing one of the continent’s finest game viewing experiences, the reserve is home to Africa’s Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino), as well as 436 bird species.
Blending seamlessly into the natural surroundings, and designed like a contemporary bush farmhouse, Phinda Homestead is an elegant and homely sole-use villa, ideal for both families and small groups. Four private bedrooms and spacious bathrooms fuse harmoniously with the cool, expansive, and inviting guest spaces. An interactive kitchen brings the lodge’s private chef into the centre of the guest experience, while a fully equipped private gym and spa allow for relaxation between safaris. Game drive times, as well as meals, are tailored completely to the guests’ preference to create a fully personalised safari.
Choose from a range of exciting Phinda Adventures such as specialist walking and tracking safaris, a sleepout under the stars, and other participative conservation experiences, such as rhino notching or pangolin tagging. Also on offer and within easy access of the reserve, are Zulu village tours, Africa Foundation community visits, a Maputaland exploration, Maputaland beach trip, night turtle drives (seasonal), scuba safaris, or an incredible ocean safari that offers you a host of marine life sightings. Specialist safaris can be arranged in advance and these focus on special interests such as birding, photographic, family and private safaris.
&Beyond Phinda Homestead blends seamlessly into the natural surroundings, while the lodge’s living areas consist of open spaces, flat-roofed walkways, and shaded areas opening out onto sun decks and a sparkling swimming pool. Designed like a contemporary bush farmhouse, &Beyond Phinda Homestead is both elegant and homely. Inspired by the breathtaking landscape and the local Zulu culture, shaded, flat-roofed walkways flow into open decks, while basketwork, pottery, carpets and textiles are celebrated interior elements. Quirky design touches, like the pineapple motifs, pay homage to the history of the land, before being reclaimed and transformed into a renowned Big Five game reserve.
Four private bedrooms, each with a double or twin option, has a spacious en-suite bathroom that blends seamlessly into cool, expansive, and inviting guest spaces. The four bedrooms are split in half by the expansive lounge, dining room and interactive kitchen that brings the lodge’s private chef into the centre of the guest experience. Off to the side, you can enjoy the library, private massage sala and gym – exclusive to you and your guests. Outside, enjoy the enormous firepit that overlooks your personal fully stocked bar and your private rim-flow swimming pool. An additional 5th room, equipped with bunk beds, is available but may be subject to additional charges due to the number of people on a private vehicle.
An African Safari is an experience of a lifetime, and there is so much on offer at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve – from twice-daily game drives, where you have the opportunity to encounter some of South Africa’s most prized wildlife, to a night safari offering incredible after-dark drives.
When booking a private vehicle and specialist guide, our safaris can be tailormade to suit a wide range of interests. These specialist safaris ensure an incomparable interpretive wilderness experience and range from private safaris, to birding, photographic and family safaris, each unique in their offering.
What’s more, you can even choose to spend the night sleeping directly beneath the stars in the heart of the bush on a thrilling overnight adventure, surrounded by Africa’s night sounds and kept safe by an armed guard. For those interested in exploring beyond the reserve, day trips can be arranged with a guide to take you deep into Maputaland to explore the World Heritage Site of iSimangaliso Wetland Park and its huge array of bird species.
Beginning with our ground-breaking conservation achievements during the original restocking of Phinda Private Game Reserve, &Beyond has continued to take part in a number of conservation successes. Our approach to the creation of this reserve, from the underlying conservation issues to its interaction with the community, has proven to be the foundation on which all our subsequent projects were to be built. Since then we have embarked on a variety of pioneering conservation initiatives, both in Africa and beyond. &Beyond’s conservation engine is driven by one thing only and that is creating extraordinary experiences for our guests. Without our guests, we simply cannot be successful in extending and sustaining green frontiers. To fund many of the projects that help us to continue our conservation of Phinda’s endangered species, guests are invited to join us in the routine monitoring or research projects that are essential to the survival of the reserves’ species’.
This adventure makes full use of all your senses, allowing you a deeper connection with the African bush. Strap on your boots and feel the wild grasses crush beneath your boots as you follow your expert guide into the pristine, untamed landscapes of the region. Be mesmerised by the morning sunlight as it dances in dewdrops delicately sprinkled on flourishing vegetation. Smell nature in its purest form and be enchanted by the chorus of wildlife surrounding you.
Nothing quite encapsulates the feeling of viewing wildlife on foot. Encounter a variety of plains game from a safe distance and be enchanted by the reserve’s smaller inhabitants. This activity is also fantastic for keen birders and photographic enthusiasts. Your guides have a wealth of experience under their belts and will not only introduce you to the region’s fantastic fauna but its kaleidoscopic array of flora too. For any safari addict, this is definitely a bucket list adventure that will keep you coming back for more!
For &Beyond, our involvement with Africa Foundation and the people in our local communities represents our core tenet of Care of the People. Through our close consultation with them, &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve facilitates insightful community visits and excursions for our guests that help you to not only experience and see firsthand the various projects that are being run by the Africa Foundation and &Beyond Phinda, but also for you to see how you can get involved and make a difference. In addition to these community visits, local Zulu villagers offer guests the opportunity to experience their daily lives and routines, and to gain a sneak peek into some of their traditional rituals and customs.
